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The Demi Hugger Travel Strap Eases Your Luggage Handling

2/22/2017

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Demi Hugger travel strap and suitcases for travel
Colleen shows off the travel strap, which easily cinched her massive computer backpack to our small roller suitcase. While she was posing with the luggage, I'm always the one handling it, so anything that makes the process simpler is welcome. And Demi Hugger works nicely.
By John Roberts

I was given a Demi Hugger travel strap to try out. I was intrigued because its purpose is to help secure items such as a backpack, purse, computer bag or duffel bag to the top of a wheeled suitcase.

Colleen and I travel a lot, and I am always plopping items on top of my wheelaround to zip them through the airport terminals, and sometimes they become unwieldy or fall off when I turn too quickly.

The Demi Hugger ends that problem. The flexible neoprene sleeve can be fastened in a number of ways (vertically or horizontally) depending on the size of your travel bag that you are trying to attach to the suitcase. (Check out our pictures at bottom of this post to see the configurations.

You just slip it over the suitcase handle, wrap it around your backpack and secure it tightly with the Velcro end.

I used it on my trip to London, Rome and Barcelona. These are all big airports, and London's Heathrow has especially long walks to exit the terminal and get to the train. So, the Demi Hugger got a real test. Aside from eliminating the problem of the bag toppling off my wheeled luggage, the strap also ended the need for me to grasp the handle of the "piggyback" piece, which gave my hands and wrists a break from that strain.

I was able to keep my backpack affixed to the top of my suitcase even when I stowed my luggage on the Heathrow Express train baggage rack on the way from the airport into London. They stayed snugly together and were easy to stow at the start and grab at the end of my ride, saving me the hassle of breaking them down and reassembling the pair.

The strap also folds up and can be slipped into an outer pocket of your suitcase, and is durable and hand washable. All in all, the Demi Hugger by Demi Innovations is an easy-to-use travel accessory that I would recommend grabbing if you can get over the $32 price tag. It sells on Amazon. Search for Demi Hugger.
 
Happy travels!
JR
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7 Best Global Sporting Events to Put on Your Travel List

2/2/2017

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Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio overlooks the Olympic Stadium
The Olympic Games bring you to fantastic travel destinations like Rio de Janeiro. // Courtesy Olympic.org
By John Roberts

It's that time of year again. The Super Bowl is upon us, and the 51st edition of the NFL championship game serves as the culmination of another season. The Falcons and Patriots will smack each other around in Houston in a contest watched by more than 150 million people worldwide. The annual spectacle is more than a game, too, with all the leadup hype and a halftime show featuring Lady Gaga this time around. 

But as popular as the NFL has become and as big a deal as we Americans make of the Super Bowl each year -- it's essentially a national holiday (Who's calling in sick on Monday?) -- it's not the ideal sporting event to tack onto your travel bucket list. I mean, who the heck can afford those tickets? And the cities that have hosted Super Bowls are fine destinations for sure (Indianapolis, Detroit, Minneapolis, Miami, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Orleans), but many might not rank among the top spots in the world on your list. 

Here is a list of the seven best sporting events that you must travel to see at least once during your lifetime. These extravaganzas are the perfect blend of sports pomp and circumstance against the backdrop of a marvelous top-notch destination. This way, you have plenty to enjoy as both a sports fan and a travel buff.  

Tour de France -- Spread out a blanket on a rolling hillside in the Pyrenees or Alps and munch of cheeses and pastries while sipping a glass of wine and watching the peloton stream past. The three-week stage race offers plenty of time to mix mornings viewing the cyclists cranking on pedals and nights exploring the streets of Paris or dozens of other French villages that host portions of the race that finishes along the Champs-Elysees.    

America's Cup -- This year, the 165-year-old yacht match racing series is held in Bermuda. You don't even have to be avid fans of the sport that features wind- and sun-burned sailors scrambling over the decks on billion-dollar vessels while cutting through the surf competition for a the oldest trophy in sport (the "Auld Mug"). You're going to have fun anyways. It's Bermuda, baby!   

Prior venues for the America's Cup races have been San Francisco; San Diego; Valencia, Spain; Auckland, New Zealand and Fremantle, Australia. So, each America's Cup race takes you to a destination well worth exploring.  

Wimbledon -- The most prestigious tennis tournament takes place on all-grass courts during the summer in London. Volley your time catching dominant performances by Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic between visits to Buckingham Palace, the West End theater productions, the London Eye and the British Museum.   

The tourney lasts two weeks, so you'll be able to squeeze in plenty of tennis and sightseeing, as well as tea times and strawberries and cream.   

British Open -- Put this oldie but goodie on your list especially when it's taking place at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland. This is the birthplace of golf, and for those especially devoted fans of chasing little white dimpled balls around a stretch of pasture for hours at a time, it's the equivalent of holy ground. When you're done watching a round, Scotland offers plenty to see and do: whisky distillery tours, castle visits, scenic drives overlooking majestic bluffs and train journeys to name a few.  

World Cup -- The destination is new every four years when the greatest soccer (football) spectacle takes place. This is the world's most-watched sporting event, and the host country is always a top travel destination, meaning hundreds of thousands of soccer fans make the pilgrimage. You're immersed in a intoxicating embrace that's both patriotic fervor and party-time free-for-all as people proudly adorn the colors of their nation.  

The most recent World Cup was in Brazil in 2014. In 2018, it will be in Russia, and past cups have been hosted in the United States, Italy, France, Spain, Argentina, Germany, South Africa, Mexico and England. 
   
Olympics -- Like soccer's World Cup, the Summer Olympics, the greatest display of a wide range of sports disciplines, comes around only once every four years. The Olympics also are hosted by a new city each time, giving travelers a look at the destination after it has polished all the silverware and spiffed up for the big occasion.   

Stars are made at the Olympics, and you can witness some of the most breathtaking performances by the best athletes in the world. And when you're not at the Olympic venues, you can explore the dynamic host cities. Tokyo will host in 2020 and three candidates are vying for 2024: Los Angeles, Budapest and Paris.  

In the past, you could have gone to Athens, London, Beijing, Seoul, Rome and Sydney among others.
   
Boston Marathon -- The most historic marathon in the world takes place in one of the United States' most historically significant cities. The annual race takes place on the third Monday in April each year in conjunction with the city's Patriots Day celebrations. The world's oldest marathon is a vibrant gathering that puts citizen runners and the elite on the same course.

Runners weave amid throngs of supportive onlookers, and after the race concludes, the festivities continue 
throughout the city. The Boston Red Sox play at Fenway Park on race day. Also, in the weekend leading up to Patriots Day, you can attend parades, 
Revolutionary War reenactments and museum and pub tours.
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Use Beach Running to Change Up Your Travel Workout

1/19/2017

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Beach running in Cancun, Mexico
By John Roberts     

You're going to be on the beach a lot, so you might as well use it as part of your workout.     
And when you're done, you can always just plop down and enjoy the soft sands. After a refreshing plunge in the sea, that is.     

Traveling to a warm-weather spot where the beaches are the hot spots? You know, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Spain, Southern France, Indonesia.     

Trying a little beach running can be a great way to mix up your routine and also make sure you stay on track while traveling. Here is what you should know about running on the beach.     

Go Early or Late -- Nothing could be more Zen than rising at the crack of dawn and getting your blood pumping with a run on the beach as the sun starts rising over the horizon. This is a perfect way to get the day started and enhance your mood for the rest of the wonderful vacation experiences to come. You can also put on a capper while taking a jog as the sun sets, and you'll be all primed and pumped up for a night of eating, drinking and dancing.      

The primary reason to time your beach run for sunset or sunrise, though, is that you won't be out under the blazing sun at its hottest. Or maybe that's your thing. You like a little bit of torture when you train. Do your thing. Burn, baby, burn!     

Set a Proper Pace -- Running on sand is more difficult than running on a solid surface. The beach is softer and undulating. You might have to dodge a kid who suddenly makes a break toward the water chasing a ball. This is a beach after all. The people frolicking at the water's edge certainly may outnumber those using it for a running track. These conditions conspire to keep you from banging out your typical mile times. No worries. You're still getting all the benefits of a fabulous workout.      

Mix It Up -- Run on the wet sand. This will be firmer and allow for your typical gait. But it's also sloping, so you should run half the time one way and turn around and run in the opposite direction for the remainder of your workout. That way you get even wear on both feet, knees and hips. Dedicate some time in each workout to running on the dry and fluffier sand. This increases the intensity as you have to work much harder to move on this type of surface. It also works the muscles and tendons in your legs and feet in ways you probably are not used to.       

Go Barefoot -- Soft sand in your toes is just what you thought about when planning a beach vacation. And maybe your friends think you're crazy for rising for early morning runs on your Caribbean getaway, but that's just how you roll. But don't push it when you choose no shoes.      

Take it easy, enjoy a slower pace and fewer miles during these barefoot beach runs because if you're new to running with your feet au naturel, you will definitely notice the fatigue setting in to your calves, ankles and achilles tendons, as well as your arches and the muscles on the top of your feet.     

Keep your eyes down, though; not much is worse than a barefoot step on a jagged seashell.      

Have Fun -- In addition to your typical jogging, mix in some sprints in the soft sand. Add pushups, burpees, jumping jacks and sand crawls. Heck, do some cartwheels if you want -- and be sure to cool off and clean up by jumping into the sea. Time to celebrate. You're on vacation, just crushed a beach workout and are about to head to the poolside bar for a day of lounging and a few fruity cocktails (you know, the ones with the umbrellas in them).

Thanks for reading.
Remember: Travel fit! Travel happy! Travel often!

JR

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